Chapter Summaries

Yanbai learned that the First Tsuchikage Ishikawa planned to visit Konoha to sign a peace treaty and ask him to treat an injured trusted guard. As Tobirama questioned Yanbai about his daily genjutsu on Madara, Yanbai showed him his Mangekyō Sharingan and frightened him.

• Yanbai reflected on how Kakuzu had fled Konoha after being scared off by a dog, and learned that Hashirama had captured Chōmei while mistakenly thinking he was rescuing Takigakure.
• Yanbai transformed the tailed beasts into cute animals and had them live among Konoha's villagers and wildlife.
• After several quiet months, Tobirama told Yanbai that the First Tsuchikage Ishikawa would arrive in a few days to sign a peace treaty and request treatment for an injured trusted guard.
• Yanbai agreed to treat the guard, whom he suspected was the future Second Tsuchikage, Mu.
• Tobirama asked what Yanbai had been doing to Madara with genjutsu, and Yanbai revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, terrifying Tobirama.

Ishikawa brought Mu to Konoha seeking medical help and an alliance, but Hashirama redirected the talks toward a long-term construction partnership with Iwagakure. After Ishikawa signed, Konoha planned to use the work, benefits, and settlement opportunities to gradually assimilate Iwa shinobi.

• Ishikawa entered Konoha with his attendants, astonished by the village and its people.
• Hashirama rejected Ishikawa's proposal to settle for an armistice and said peace required cooperation.
• Hashirama presented Iwagakure with a long-term contract for construction projects and stone supplies.
• Ishikawa reviewed the terms and signed the cooperation agreement, hoping to secure help for the injured Mu.
• Konoha intended to draw Iwa shinobi into its cities and way of life through employment, benefits, and settlement, gradually making them part of Konoha.

Ishikawa toured Konoha with Hashirama Senju and witnessed the brutal training used to “clock out.” Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha met Tobirama Senju privately, where Tobirama revealed he knew about Madara and Yanbai’s secret and their encounters in her Dōjutsu Space.

• Hashirama Senju showed Ishikawa the training arena, where his sister beat Konoha staff before healing them, and then toured him through the hospital and Academy.
• Madara Uchiha considered candidates to help manage the Uchiha Clan Grounds as Uchiha Izuna took on more responsibilities.
• Tobirama Senju stopped Madara Uchiha in the street and invited him to speak privately at a teahouse.
• Tobirama Senju told Madara Uchiha that he knew Madara and his sister had a secret and that Yanbai pulled him into her Dōjutsu Space whenever they met eyes.

Madara Uchiha avoided Tobirama Senju’s questions about Yanbai before Yanbai developed a thorny, life-draining defense to protect himself while he slept. Yanbai prepared to enter a long sleep to repair his divine core, but Madara insisted on guarding him.

• Tobirama Senju asked Madara Uchiha what Yanbai’s little sister intended to do, but Madara left after warning him to protect Konoha.
• Yanbai treated Mu and gained the Dustless Bewildering Cover ability, but did not obtain Dust Release.
• Yanbai showed Madara a new passive defense that healed his wound and grew thorny vines and glowing roses that drained attackers’ life force.
• Madara told Yanbai that Tobirama had asked about the dōjutsu Yanbai used on him.
• Yanbai admitted he had finished many tasks and needed to sleep for an uncertain length of time while he repaired his divine core.
• Madara said he had handed clan affairs to Izuna and the others and would guard Yanbai until he woke.

Yanbai told Madara Uchiha about the dangerous Ōtsutsuki Clan and the threats on the moon, admitting he feared what might happen if he stopped guarding the world. Madara decided they should alert Hashirama and the others and involve the Hyuga Clan.

• Yanbai worried that leaving events unattended could lead to his friends and family suffering the same fates as in other versions of the world.
• Madara Uchiha offered Yanbai his trust, and Yanbai told him there were unfriendly relatives on the moon.
• Yanbai recounted the history of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, his family, Infinite Tsukuyomi, and the ancestors of the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki Clans.
• Madara Uchiha considered the Ōtsutsuki Clan’s immense powers and asked who would come looking for trouble first if Yanbai fell asleep.
• Madara Uchiha proposed warning Hashirama and the others and inviting the Hyuga Clan because of their connection to Hamura Otsutsuki’s descendants.

Madara Uchiha told the Senju brothers about the Ōtsutsuki Clan and Yanbai’s plan to repair his divine core, and they agreed to protect him and prepare for the threat. Yanbai’s friends held a funeral for him while he entered slumber, and Indra’s chakra finally arrived in his soul space.

• Madara Uchiha explained the Ōtsutsuki threat, while the nine Tailed Beasts showed the Senju brothers that they did not want to leave Yanbai.
• Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju agreed to let Yanbai repair his divine core and to guard against the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
• Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha led a procession carrying Yanbai’s coffin to an underground Wood Release palace, where the clansmen held a funeral for him.
• Madara Uchiha remained beside the coffin and fed his blood to the thorns sealing it, but no roses bloomed.
• Yanbai worked on bugs in his soul space while in slumber when he received a notification that Indra’s chakra had arrived.

Madara Uchiha waited beside Yanbai’s coffin, then confronted Zetsu when the strange being attacked him in the Underground Palace. Zetsu revealed that he knew Yanbai’s secrets and mocked Madara for failing to marry him.

• Madara Uchiha used Yanbai’s specially made kunai to cut himself, and a white rose absorbed his blood and healed his wound.
• Madara Uchiha settled into the Underground Palace, where he planned to spend most of his time near Yanbai’s coffin.
• A humanoid creature entered the Underground Palace and tried to strangle Madara Uchiha.
• Madara Uchiha fought back, struck the creature with his sealed hand, and recognized it as Zetsu.
• Zetsu claimed Madara had been bewitched by Yanbai, mocked him for not marrying Yanbai, and offered to reveal Yanbai’s secrets.

Madara Uchiha fought Zetsu, who tried to take over his body, and used his newly awakened ability to defeat and seal him. Yanbai woke from his coffin and healed the collapsed Madara, leaving him to enter a long slumber.

• Zetsu tried to convince Madara Uchiha that Yanbai had deceived him, while Madara used sealing flames against Zetsu.
• Madara removed the seal restraining his killing intent, awakened strange eyes, and charged at Zetsu.
• Madara damaged Zetsu with the seals on his specially made shoes, but Zetsu turned into mist and invaded Madara's body.
• Madara stabbed his own chest to strike Zetsu inside him and sealed the intruder in the kunai.
• Madara collapsed beside Yanbai's coffin, and Yanbai woke, healed him, and left him to sleep.

Toshio Hyuga investigated the disappearance of six young members of the Hyuga branch family and learned that the only unchecked place was Princess Senju's Mausoleum. On the moon, his people’s ancestor revealed that she had abducted them to help Hamura’s dwindling descendants continue their bloodline, while a Hyuga man arrived claiming he had seen who took his sisters.

• Toshio Hyuga learned from Unseki Hyuga that six young members of the Hyuga branch family, including Shigenobu and the sisters Sheng and Mi, had disappeared.
• Unseki Hyuga told Toshio Hyuga that the clan had searched Konoha, the hot spring baths, and the cemetery, but could not inspect Princess Senju's Mausoleum because of its barrier.
• A young Hyuga man arrived and told Toshio Hyuga that he had seen who took his younger sisters.
• On the moon, the Old Woman's descendants confronted her about abducting six Hyuga branch-family members from Earth.
• The Old Woman explained that Hamura's descendants needed to marry outside their clan to prevent their bloodline from dying out, and said the Hyuga Clan was the best choice.

Madara Uchiha refused to let Hashirama Senju disturb Yanbai, arguing that their enemies wanted to interrupt his recovery. After returning to the Underground Palace, Madara encountered Old Grandmother, who offered to help him win Yanbai’s love, but he refused.

• Hashirama Senju asked Madara Uchiha to consult Yanbai about Kaguya Ōtsutsuki abducting six Hyuga branch-family members, but Madara refused to disturb Yanbai.
• Madara revealed that Zetsu had appeared the night Yanbai was buried and warned that their enemies seemed intent on preventing Yanbai from recovering.
• Hashirama accepted Madara’s warning and left after Madara urged him not to disturb Yanbai again.
• Madara sensed danger in the Underground Palace and found Old Grandmother standing by Yanbai’s coffin.
• Old Grandmother asked whether Madara truly loved Yanbai and offered to help him get his wish, but Madara said he would win what he wanted himself.

Madara Uchiha rejected the old grandmother’s offer to arrange his marriage to Yanbai, insisting that Yanbai’s happiness mattered more than marriage or gender. After the grandmother tried to pry into Madara’s memories, the coffin began shaking as its occupant stirred.

• Madara Uchiha refused the old grandmother’s offer, and she revealed that she was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s incarnation and governed countless worlds.
• The old grandmother demonstrated her power and claimed responsibility for the world’s rules, the clans’ fates, and Madara and Zetsu’s Gift abilities.
• The old grandmother explained that Yanbai had once been a girl and was repairing something that would let him choose his sex; Madara said he would support whatever Yanbai wanted.
• Madara realized that Yanbai’s discomfort with marriage came partly from the old grandmother’s habit of recording her descendants’ bedroom activities.
• The old grandmother asked to see Madara’s memories, and Madara raised a kunai to his neck; the coffin then rang and began shaking as its occupant stirred.

Yanbai’s Old Grandmother sealed him back into his coffin and overpowered Madara Uchiha, then offered him Yanbai’s blood as a way to gain similar power. She left after summoning Zetsu, while Madara remained in the burial chamber holding the syringe and considering her offer.

• Yanbai spoke with the Old Woman in several languages, but she sealed him inside his coffin again and told Madara Uchiha that he would sleep for decades.
• The Old Grandmother attacked Madara Uchiha with invisible forces and barriers, defeating his Susanoo and crushing him against a wall.
• The Old Grandmother offered Madara Uchiha Yanbai’s blood, saying it could evolve his eyes and that he could see Yanbai again if he and Hashirama both died.
• The Old Grandmother summoned Zetsu from the black mist on Madara Uchiha’s kunai and gave him information before he vanished underground.
• The Old Grandmother departed through a spatial passage, leaving Madara Uchiha beside the coffin with Yanbai’s blood.

Tobirama Senju established the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad to gather people for his forbidden experiments. Madara Uchiha learned that Tobirama was moving toward Yanbai’s remains and wondered whether to honor his promise to take Yanbai away.

• Konoha alternated the Hokage position between the Senju and Uchiha clans as the village grew and prepared for the Ōtsutsuki threat.
• Tobirama Senju established the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad, using its reconnaissance and assassination missions to abduct people for experiments.
• Zetsu continued bringing Madara Uchiha written reports about events outside his mountain retreat.
• Madara Uchiha read the latest dossier, burned it, and recognized that Tobirama Senju was becoming the tyrant Yanbai had predicted.
• Madara Uchiha sensed unfamiliar people approaching and wondered whether to take Yanbai away if Tobirama came for him.

Madara Uchiha rejected the idea of defecting and chose to defend Yanbai’s tomb from the intruders. As he unleashed thorny vines and Night Roses around the mausoleum, the disguised shinobi discovered that the flowers drained the life from anything that disturbed the sanctuary.

• Madara Uchiha reasoned that fleeing with Yanbai’s coffin would let Tobirama Senju brand him a defector, so he decided to fight anyone who threatened their home.
• Madara Uchiha awakened his ringed eyes and sent thorny vines through the mausoleum walls toward the intruders.
• The vines killed the noisy animals around the disguised shinobi, and crimson Night Roses bloomed across the tomb’s perimeter.
• The intruders tried to destroy the encroaching vines with a Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, provoking the vines to attack.
• The thorny vines drained a shinobi’s chakra and life force, killing him as the roses grew more vivid.

Madara Uchiha spoke with Cherry Ink and sent animals from the neighboring mountain to trouble Konoha, while shinobi investigating Yanbai’s Mausoleum fought the Thorns and struggled to escape. Qingyan and Longkuan led the retreat, but the growing Thorns kept surrounding them as their chakra ran low.

• Madara Uchiha heard Cherry Ink complain that intruding animals had killed the female rats it had brought over, and he insisted the intruders were responsible.
• Madara Uchiha ordered Cherry Ink to send snakes, rats, insects, and ants from the neighboring mountain to Konoha Shinobi Village to keep Tobirama occupied.
• The shinobi at the Mausoleum fought the living Thorns after their operation was exposed and the barrier was destroyed.
• Qingyan and Longkuan led the remaining Anbu away from the Mausoleum, cutting through the Thorns as they pursued the group.
• The Thorns kept filling every opening and draining the shinobi, leaving Qingyan and Longkuan trapped in a desperate fight with little chakra left.

Tobirama Senju rescued Qingyan, Longkuan, and their surviving companions from Madara Uchiha’s thorn attack, then spoke with Madara at the Memorial Stone. Madara refused to let Tobirama borrow Yanbai’s blood, but gave him a scroll Yanbai had left for his research, leaving Tobirama astonished by its contents.

• Madara Uchiha’s blood-red thorns trapped Qingyan, Longkuan, and their group at the Memorial Stone until Tobirama Senju drove them back with a Water Release technique.
• Tobirama stayed behind as the others escaped, and Madara’s thorns formed his figure before him.
• Tobirama apologized for disturbing Madara and asked to borrow some of Yanbai’s blood for his research.
• Madara explained that Yanbai’s coffin could no longer be opened and revealed that Yanbai had left Tobirama some items.
• Madara’s thorns handed Tobirama a scroll describing the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, and Tobirama wondered how Yanbai had learned of them.

Tobirama Senju read Yanbai's scroll about the dangers of Hashirama and Princess cells, then left the Princess Mausoleum to return to Konoha Shinobi Village. He carried his grief with him but continued onward because he was Hokage.

• Madara Uchiha warned Tobirama Senju to take the scroll and leave Yanbai's resting place undisturbed, threatening to kill anyone who returned.
• Tobirama Senju read that Hashirama cells could grant powerful abilities but carried lethal risks, and that Princess cells could cause severe mental deterioration and endanger others.
• Tobirama Senju understood Yanbai's warning against researching her cells and put the scroll away as dawn broke.
• Tobirama Senju bowed to the Princess Mausoleum, then turned away and walked back toward Konoha Shinobi Village rather than using Flying Thunder God.

Tobirama Senju returned to the Hokage Office and suspected Madara Uchiha had gained Wood Release and youthful vitality from Yanbai’s virus, while doubting Yanbai’s warnings about his cells. Hashirama Senju entrusted Tobirama with a life-enhancing, tailed-beast-suppressing necklace for his unborn grandchild, and Tobirama remained intent on visiting Yanbai’s coffin.

• Tobirama Senju returned to the Hokage Office, told Hashirama Senju he had visited the Memorial Stone, and reported that Madara Uchiha had learned Wood Release.
• Tobirama Senju connected Madara Uchiha’s Wood Release and youthful appearance to Yanbai’s virus, then wondered whether Yanbai had exaggerated the danger of his cells.
• Tobirama Senju told Hashirama Senju that Madara Uchiha claimed Yanbai’s coffin lid had sealed itself shut, and Tobirama resolved to investigate.
• Hashirama Senju gave Tobirama Senju a Wood Release chakra necklace for Yoya and Amame’s unborn child, explaining that it could extend life and suppress tailed beasts.

Yanbai learned that Madara had given Tobirama the Impure World Reincarnation techniques and erased Yanbai’s disturbing notes. Following Cherry Ink’s lead, Hashirama discovered Anbu carrying a living person into a hidden cave research facility and wondered what Tobirama was researching.

• Yanbai discussed Madara’s fate with Black Zetsu, who reported that Madara had given Tobirama the Impure World Reincarnation techniques but erased Yanbai’s depraved notes.
• Black Zetsu told Yanbai that Cherry Ink was keeping Tobirama occupied, then left to help Madara.
• Hashirama used Wood Clones around Konoha while Cherry Ink led him to investigate Tobirama’s activities.
• Hashirama and Cherry Ink followed four masked Anbu carrying a sack out of Konoha and into a dark cave.
• Hashirama saw the Anbu hurry deeper into the cave with the living person and suspected Tobirama was conducting research there.

Hashirama Senju descended into Tobirama Senju’s underground Research Base after learning that a person had been carried inside, and confronted him about his forbidden experiments. Tobirama revealed that Yanbai had already perfected the revenant-summoning technique and deliberately arranged for Hashirama to witness it, leaving Hashirama poised to supervise Tobirama’s research.

• Hashirama Senju entered the Research Base and rode its Elevator down to the underground laboratories, where he confronted the four Anbu who had carried the sack.
• Tobirama Senju met Hashirama with a Shadow Clone and warned him not to endanger the researchers by using Tree World Advent underground.
• Tobirama led Hashirama into a hall of preserved specimens and said that all the bodies came from foreigners, not people from the Land of Fire.
• Tobirama explained that he had been researching a technique to summon revenants partly for Yanbai, whose fate remained uncertain.
• Tobirama revealed that Yanbai had already perfected the technique and sent it to him through Madara Uchiha, expecting Hashirama to catch him testing it and supervise his future research.